You Are Where You Eat

Friday, December 19, 2014

Shepherd's Way Morcella is a seasonal, soft-ripened sheep milk cheese made with morel mushrooms.

MARIE FLANAGAN

Steven and Jodi Ohlsen Read raise their dairy sheep at Shepherd’s Way Farm, just outside Northfield, an hour south of Minneapolis. Shepherd’s Way Farm is known throughout Minnesota for their award-winning, artisan, sheep’s milk cheeses like Shepherd’s Hope, Big Woods Blue, and Morcella (pictured). This week, they announced they need more room to grow, and they launched a Kickstarter campaign to reach their goal. Their“Build the Barns, Grow the Flock" Kickstarter campaigngoal is to finish a lambing barn and begin building a ewe barn that was destroyed in a fire in 2005.

“Our flock is about ⅓ the size it was before the fire,” said Shepherd’s Way cheesemaker, Jodi Ohlsen Read. “We’d like to double our current flock size. Having said that, we’re committed to sustainable growth - as we grow we’ll determine what the best size would be for us. We want to stay small-scale, and be able to make our ends meet.”

The current lamb barn at Shepherd’s Way was saved from demolition when the Reads moved the top half of it from the Big Woods State Park. They’ve been making steady progress on the barn, but it needs a new roof, electrical work, and a warming room for the lambs. They hope to raise $58,000 through Kickstarter, which would allow them to finish and winterizing the lamb barn, and start the initial construction of a barn for the ewes (adult female sheep).

“Our sheep spend much of their time outside, even in the winter if they choose,” said Steven Read in a press release. “But they need warm shelter, especially during lambing. Particularly when we have winters like last year.” Shepherd’s Way begins lambing in mid-January, and the Reads hope to start winterizing the lamb barn as soon as the Kickstarter campaign is complete.

The Kickstarter rewards include cheese, of course, along with wool filled pillows, private cheese tastings, lamb note cards, and a Spring Frolic party at the farm.

“Traditionally, a farmer would get a farm loan for building. Those opportunities aren’t as easily available as they were before the recession, especially when you’re still a growing business,” said Ohlsen Read. “The advantages of Kickstarter, aside from the funding, is that we’ll be able to draw more people who are specifically interested in what we do - it builds community, and I love that idea. I like the connection to the community.”

Ohlsen Read’s enthusiasm for community building extends beyond the Kickstarter campaign. She is currently president of the Minnesota Cheesemakers Guild, hosts regular local farm tours, and Steve and Jodi are also the Minnesota Farmers Union Enterprise Leadership Couple. But her heart is on the farm, where she spends most of her time crafting small batch cheese. She looks forward to milking season and to growing the Shepherd’s Way flock.

“If you’re gonna be in farming, you’re gonna have some tough times, and it’ll affect you to the core,” said Ohlsen Read. “If the kickstarter doesn’t get funded, it’ll be a tough winter. It’ll take us longer to get self-sustaining...to be a truly sustainable farm, we need to produce enough milk, to make enough cheese, to make all of the ends meet.”

You can learn more about Shepherd's Way and their goals from their Kickstarter video.

Markets and farm stands are packed with stacks of fantastic apples right now, but choosing the perfect apple when you can't sample can be a bit tricky. Here's an annual roundup of information that can assist your crucial apple selection process.

Choosing Your Apple

Apple varieties have varying attributes, whether they're crisp and sweet, or juicy and sour. Some apples are perfect for packing in a lunch box (Honeycrisp, Zestar!, SweeTango, Haralson), while others are better suited for pies or apple butter (Northern Spy, Prairie Spy, Duchess). Another attribute to consider is shelf-life; some varieties last longer in storage (Prairie Spy, Keepsake, Honeygold, Sweet Sixteen, Honeycrisp).

Here are the major Minnesota-grown varieties listed by season, in alphabetical order, along with general tasting attributes:

No time for apple picking? Check your local farmers market, which is a perfect weekend outing this time of the year. Doug Bolstorff’s Cedar Grove Orchard stand at the downtown St Paul Farmers Market is a personal favorite. They have good apples, decent prices, and friendly service. Don't miss the Sweetland Orchard stand at the Kingfield Farmers Market where they sell fantastic apple cider donuts. Finally, if you can't make it to the orchard or farmers market, local co-ops can fill your basket with local apples from local organic orchards. Do you research, fill your basket, and when you get home you can sit back and relax knowing you've selected the perfect Minnesota apple.

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

In tandem with winning a red ribbon at the 2014 American Cheese Society (ACS) contest for their camembert-style cheese, Bent River, Alemar Cheese Company has recently released a new brie-style cheese called Blue Earth. Mankato is the county seat of Blue Earth County and Alemar’s new brie-style cheese reflects its connection to Minnesota’s terrain with its formula based on 100 percent organic, grass-based milk from Minnesota farms like Cedar Summit Farm.

“I’ve been making cheese for 6 years,” said Keith Adams of Alemar Cheese. “And I think I’m getting pretty proficient at soft rind cheeses. I knew that Bent River [camembert] might have some notes that might not appeal to all consumers. For the Blue Earth [brie], we toyed with some of the cultures and the aging process until we got something really great.”

The recipes and techniques Adams uses to make Blue Earth are similar to those that he uses for Bent River, and so Blue Earth has many similarities to Bent River. But it’s different...As with any brie, it’s bigger and runnier, for starters. It’s slightly buttery, with a mild flavor, and utterly unctuous texture.

If you want to congratulate Adams on his new cheese and his ACS ribbon, you’d better do it quickly—after a trip to England this summer to learn about Stichelton (similar to Stilton) and bandage-wrapped cheddar, he’s heading back to his home state of California to start an English-inspired cheese project in the Sonoma county area. But fear not, Bent River and Blue Earth will continue to be made by Craig Hageman, who will be running the Alemar plant in Mankota.

BY MARIE FLANAGAN

PHOTOS BY KELLY VANDERPOOL

Two new brightly colored garden-themed murals have staked their claim on the southeast corner of Central and Lowry Aves NE, the third busiest intersection in Minneapolis. The murals are the work of Northeast artists, and the budding garden they currently shelter is a new permaculture demonstration garden called Cultivate Northeast.

Coined by Bill Mollison and David Holmgrem, the term “permaculture” is an ideology that models habitats and agricultural systems on natural ecosystems. From food production to landscape restoration, from composting and harvesting rainwater to engaging with the community, urban permaculture gardens like Cultivate Northeast can produce food while providing educational and community-building opportunities.

Chowgirls co-owner Heidi Andermack talked about the community approach to the development of the permaculture garden and the Cultivate Northeast concept. Initiated by Minneapolis City Council Member Kevin Reich, Cultivate Northeast was brought to life by area author Joel Hernandez, Tom and Colleen of Tom’s Styling, Northeast Chamber of Commerce Director Christine Levins, and Andermack.

Hailing from Bruce Bacon’s Garden Farme in Anoka, permaculture specialist Benji Mohr weeds, harvests, lays down woodchips, and manages the day-to-day operations of the garden, raising produce for the kitchens of Chowgirls, Hazel’s Northeast, The Mill Northeast, and Sen Yai Sen Lek. Adjacent business owners, Tom and Colleen of “Tom’s Style and Tanning” have provided space and water for the garden.

“I’m always interested in community projects and love the idea of having our food produced so close to home,” said Andermack. “We had toyed with the idea with getting some land about 45 minutes away for Chowgirls, and we realized that wasn’t very realistic in terms of resources. This was a great opportunity to start something on a small scale.”

A pergola, benches, and two colorful murals by local artists Chank Diesel and Mike Davis helped transform the garden into a community space. The garden is open to the public; Andermack said folks are welcome to wander through the garden, take photos, sit on the benches, and enjoy the space, although they prefer that you leave the produce where it is.

“We’re hoping that folks will enjoy the space, be happy with what we’re doing there, and allow us to continue in the future,” said Andermack.

Cultivate NE hosted weekly cooking demonstrations and speakers in fall 2014. They plan to do more programming and have more information available at the garden next year.

“The coolest thing about the project in my mind is that everyone involved is doing their best to contribute to the garden while taking care of their work and their families,” said Andermack. “It’s a little oasis in the 3rd busiest intersection in Minneapolis.”

Saturday, April 12, 2014

Family heirlooms come in various shapes in sizes. In my family, our heirloom jewels come in the form of garden seeds. During harvest season, my mom carefully saves seeds from the sturdy plants in her prolific garden. You know what I adore about that? The beans, tomatoes, and dill that I plant today are the same seeds of the same garden goodies that I ate as a kid. The tradition is nostalgic and interesting to me. Each time I bite into a fresh “rattlesnake pole bean” or a “scarlet runner bean” bean from my garden, I think of my hard-working mom, her soil-stained knees, and her beloved garden.People who are “seed savers” are especially interested in the concept of heirloom varieties. The Seed Savers Exchange defines an heirloom as "any garden plant that has a history of being passed down within a family, just like pieces of heirloom jewelry or furniture. Some companies have tried to create definitions based on date, such as anything older than 50 years."

Heirlooms come in all shapes, sizes, and varieties, from tomatoes to perennial flowers. If you’re really curious about all the heirloom varieties available, check out the heirloom plant resource book put out by the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum–it records all of plants offered by mail order from a myriad of catalogs.

Now you can become part of the ever-growing seed saver/heirloom seed movement. Don’t have a family member saving seeds? No problem. You can still get your green thumbs on some “saved seeds” by visiting a local store with a Seed Savers Exchange rack. Don’t know where to find Seed Savers seeds? Find the store selling them closest to you on the Seed Savers’website.

Perhaps you’re not interested in starting from seed and would rather plant heirloom plants seedlings? No problem there either. From farmers markets, to co-ops, to garden centers, many folks are selling seedlings grown from heirloom seeds. In addition to farmers markets and co-op plant sales, here are a few locations where you can get your green thumbs on some heirloom seedlings:

If you know a person who saves seeds, consult the oracle. In my experience, I’ve found that folks who save seeds are generally fountains of knowledge on the topic, and might even be willing to share a seedling or two with you to help you get started. And if you’re a seed saver and have a great resource to share, please do so in the comments section below.

Twin Cities wurst worshippers have a new joint to add to their must-visit list for summer 2014. Prairie Dogs, to be located in Uptown, plans to combine the best of the Chicago-style hot dog eatery with that of a butcher shop market, using locally-sourced ingredients to make house-made encased meats and charcuterie.

“Think of it as Hot Doug’s of Chicago meets Bavette la Boucheriein Milwaukee,” said Prairie Dog co-owner and sausage maker, Craig Johnson.Serving sausages prepared for sit-down customers as well as offering a stocked butcher case for home cooks, Prairie Dogs will be cranking out house-made sausages like bratwurst, merguez, chorizo, Polish sausage, and hot dogs using locally-sourced meats from producers like Braucher’s Sunshine Harvest Farm. They’ll also feature local beer, sustainably produced wine, seasonal produce, and locally sourced buns (Johnson’s still on a quest to find the perfect locally made sausage bun).

Johnson grew up in Maple Plain, MN, but he first learned the craft of sausage-making while attending the Western Culinary Institute in Portland, Oregon. He honed his sausage-making skills back in Minnesota at joints like Papa Charlie’s in Lutsen, Spill the Wine, and most recently at Ike’s in downtown Minneapolis. He was approached by Minneapolis restaurant consultant Tobie Nidetzabout the Prairie Dog concept, and the two formed a partnership as co-owners of the new venture.

PHOTO BY TODD BILLINGS, SQUARE FOOTAGE PRODUCTIONS

“Experimenting with different levels of meat grinds and fat content helps me figure out my own recipes. I’ve been picking butchers brains!” said Johnson, who is a regular customer at many of the local sausage-making shops in town like Clancey’s and Everett’s, and is heading to Chicago soon for a whirlwind tour of well-known sausage establishments like Hot Doug’s, Devil Dawgs, and Franks N’ Dawgs.Johnson says customer input in vital, so he’s been serving sausages at events and holding pop-ups at restaurants such asFirst Course Bistro, Birch’s in Long Lake, Monies Bar in his hometown of Maple Plain, and The Zumbro Café. These events have allowed Johnson to identify recipes that are hits, like the popular, mildly spicy merguez lamb sausage that he tops with light mint aioli, piquillo peppers, and feta cheese. His “Tickle me Chelmo” emerged as a favorite at the Zumbro popup—it’s a chorizo link topped with breakfast potato hash, lime crema, salsa verde, and a sunny egg. The Seoul Dog has been a crowd-pleasing hot dog topped with house made kimchi, marinated carrots, and shoyu mustard. As for vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free folks, Prairie Dogs intends to offer house made, build-your-own vegan dogs, gluten-free rolls, and even a lettuce wrap dog.

Aiming for an opening date of May 2014, Prairie Dogs will be located in Uptown, near Lake Street/Hennepin. They plan to offer lunch, dinner, late night dining, a butcher case for home cooks, and have delivery by bicycle to the Uptown area, to boot.If you simply can’t wait until May to sample Prairie Dog’s sausages, stop by Ike’s downtown over the next two weeks, where Johnson’s smoked Polish sausage will be a featured menu item, or watch their Facebook page for future pop-up events.

Prairie Dogs currently has a Kickstarter campaign going on to help to reduce investor costs, cover the cost of furnishing the restaurant, and cover labor costs and training. Check out a video about the Prairie Dog concept and their kickstarter:

These freezing temps may have slowed the rest of us down, but Minnesota’s farmers have been busy prepping for the growing season. They’re attending conferences, figuring out how to best extend their growing season in Minnesota’s challenging climate, selecting the best varieties for their land and their customers, keeping their livestock warm and fed, and figuring out the how to boost their bottom lines while being environmental stewards and community-builders. They have been very busy, indeed.

And now it’s our turn to get to work selecting our CSAs for next year. Selecting a CSA can be a bit daunting, but never fear—you have time on your side, and this annual ABCs of CSAs will help you navigate.

The Basics on CSAs

A Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) operation is a partnership between local producers and their subscribers. Before the growing season commences, a CSA farming operation sells subscriptions to members of the public who pay upfront and then become stakeholders in the farm. You, as a stakeholder, receive regular boxes of food (called “shares”) from the producer during the growing season in return for your subscription dollars.

When you subscribe, you enjoy the benefit of having a relationship and understanding with the people growing your food. In a very direct way, you experience both the challenges and the bounties that the producer experiences. And, undoubtedly, you will receive some kind of produce in your CSA box that will challenge you to try something new.

Membership arrangements, delivery locations and frequency, products, opportunities for involvement, and costs vary with each CSA operation, so research is the key to finding one that suits you. There are several CSA opportunities in the Twin Cities area. To make it easier for you to select which CSA opportunity works best for you, Land Stewardship Project releases an annual CSA Farm Directory which provides details on more than 60 Twin Cities area producers and their wide variety of CSA subscription plans.

What if I Can’t Handle a Whole Box of Produce?

An almost-full bushel of produce every week might be too much for some folks. If you’re one such person, consider these options:

Split a share with a family member or neighbor. One of you picks up the share, and you split the box each week, or you alternate weeks, so each ends up with a full share every two weeks.

Many CSA subscribers save their seasonal bounty for later use through preservation techniques such as canning, freezing, pickling, and drying. I just made some tomato soup last week using tomatoes that I canned from the my CSA share last summer. The University of Minnesota Extension website has all the information you need if you’re interested in getting started with food preservation.

I Want to Make my Choice Based On Pick Up Location

Perhaps you’d like to pick up your share at your community co-op, farmers market, or a pick up site that is closest to your workplace. If you look in the CSA handbook, most farms have listed their pick up spots. Axdahl’s, Big Woods Farm, Blackberry Community Farm, Green Earth Growers, Loon Organics, and Thorn Crest Farm have all listed the co-ops where they do their pick ups. You can also pop in to your neighborhood co-op and ask if they have a list of the CSAs that offer pick ups there.

While this list is incomplete, here are some convenient Twin Cities pickup locations:

Seward Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm, Common Harvest Farm

Eastside Co-op: Blackberry Community Farm

Just Food Co-op: Big Woods Farm

Whole Foods, St Paul: Green Earth Growers

Valley Natural Co-op: Green Earth Growers

Mill City Farmers Market: Loon Organics

Linden Hills Farmers Market: The Farm of Minnesota

Seward Co-op hosts an annual CSA fair in spring that showcases area CSA farmers. This is an opportunity to actually speak to the farmers in-person. This spring’s date hasn’t been announced yet, but stay tuned for an announcement on their website.

Beyond Produce

CSAs can provide more than just produce—eggs, flowers, cheese, meat, and more are also available through CSAs in Minnesota. As you read through the directory, take note of those additional items that appeal to you—whether it’s pastured-raised eggs or fresh-cut flowers. There are also CSAs that specialize in items other than produce.

Non-Produce CSAs Not listed in the Land Stewardship Project’s CSA Directory

I Write for Other Blogs

About This Blog

I'm writing this blog to connect the food I eat to my interest in sustainable agriculture. Writing this blog encourages me to ask more questions about the food I eat. Where did it originate? How was it produced? How did it end up on my plate?

The Goals of Sustainable Agriculture....Foster site-specific, integrated farming systems; satisfy human food and fiber needs; enhance environmental quality, natural resource conservation and the integration of on-farm and biological resources; enhance the quality of rural life and support owner-operated farms; protect human health and safety; and promote crop, livestock and enterprise diversity and the well-being of animals.I blog. I'm the senior editor for the North Central Region - Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education program, and I'm the Sustainable Food Correspondent for Minnesota Monthly magazine.